2025-The year in review · Monday December 29, 2025 by colin newell
Hey, hey! 2025 is almost done – and what do we have to show for it?
A.I. has taken over most aspects of our lives (apart from this one which is still occasionally tapped out by a human…)
Travel has become as unromantic as possible – hence I rarely travel much beyond the family room…
And flying? Well, I fly my Canadian flag with pride when the wind is gusting under 125 km/hr.
Truthfully, the last year or so I have been in Hamilton, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta.
Photo above: Coffee. Yes, it is still a thing for me!
2025 was a great year for in home cooking and broadening our culinary chops without broadening our waists.
2025 marks almost 2 years retired after 35 years + working at the local University in I.T. and tech – hardware and software support.
That old adage: “I don’t know where I found the time to work before has never been more true. I really believe that this is the most meaningful time of my life and I am happier than when I was carefree and 11 years old. Seriously.
Stuff – I do committee work with the municipality of Saanich… a couple of things… keeping me engaged… on the edge… sharp… where I gotta be…
After 16 or 17 years raising funds for Movember, I have moved onto a much more local project: The Island Prostate Cancer resource center. A great cause for men facing cancer and their families that find value in this great resource.
Music: I have been playing guitar and piano since the 1970’s – my debut album was in 2008 and that is increasingly feeling like a long time ago! Now I play around 1 hour a day – I collaborate with a few other players to make some noise with. Am I thinking long term? No, not at all.
Radio stuff: I am still doing ham radio as well as technical projects that revolve around “amateur” radio – like project building and supporting our radio community locally, regionally and internationally…
Coffee – As one of the (maybe former) authorities on the subject of cafe culture, home and office coffee and espresso based goodness… I am still picking away at my coffee project that started in 1994 — now known as CoffeeCrew.comCheck in…
Is there anyone out there? I genuinely do not hear much from anyone via this blog. It is entirely possible that I am talking to a brick wall… or a dry wall… or a wailing wall. You can send us a shout over here – anyone locally that sends me a shout, I will buy a coffee and treat – and we can talk about whatever comes up.
Colin Newell is a Victoria resident and has been writing about the subject of coffee and pop culture since the beginning of internet time…
Avocado Brownies - or why does Pinterest suck so badly · Saturday November 29, 2025 by colin newell
Found this Pinterest recipe on the “Recipes by Honey…” Website…
which appears to be more of a front for 1000 pop-up ads before you get to the actual recipe.
Why Pinterest, why!?
My blog – coffee.bc.ca – has no popups, no shills, no tension, frustration or BS —
much like the “blog” that I nicked from “Honey…”
The brownies are currently in the oven for the first time…
We will see if this was worth the effort and frustration of wading through yet another Pinterest recipe.
For the Brownie Batter
2 medium Ripe Avocados – Ensure they are fully ripe for a creamy texture.
1 cup Granulated Sugar – consider substituting with honey or maple syrup.
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder – consider unsweetened for richer flavour.
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract.
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour Can – you substitute with gluten-free options.
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt – It balances sweetness.
Optional Add-Ins
1/2 cup Nuts or Chocolate Chips can be added for crunch and indulgence.
1/4 cup Peanut Butter Swirl in before baking for added flavor.
Step by step guide to preparation
Grab your KitchenAid or mixmaster (you could also use a Vitamix — but set aside more clean up time!)
The Wet Mix
In the mixmaster (or blender) Mash avocados until they are creamy with no lumps (and of course – it goes without saying… you cut open the avocado, removing the skin and the seed… the skin and the seed goes into the compost!)
In this instance, I added 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup Maple Syrup for that Canadian touch!
Add in 1/2 cup fine unsweetened cocoa powder.
Drizzle in 1/2 teaspoon (or more) vanilla extract (I also contemplated adding 1/2 ounce of white rum but one must keep in mind that when adding alcohol, it can impact on how the brownies set!)
The Dry Mix
Add a teaspoon of magic baking powder to 1/2 cup standard white flour (I used bread flour without issue.)
Add the flour and leavening mix slowly to the “wet” mix… Do not over mix please…
Add ons
I added a tablespoon or two of creamy peanut butter at the very end of mixing (for something of a swirl effect…) Let’s see how that works out.
I used an 8” x 8” purpose made brownie pan – lined with parchment paper and sprayed with Pam - cooking spray.
Move your batter from its mixing vessel into the baking tray and level out the brownie mix – try and get as even a layer as possible. With this batch size the batter will be about 1/2” thick or so on the bottom of the tray.
Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 25-35 minutes… or when a toothpick goes in and comes out clean!
Important Rule says – Let the brownies cool for an hour before you attempt to cut them.
Taste test These are crazy creamy and awesome! I could have added another bit of nut butter up to maybe 1/4 cup AND some finely ground or coarsely chopped nuts – despite my frustration with the Pinterest mega-ad BS, this recipe is a win! Thank you “Honey…”
This blog entry is dedicated to our longest long suffering reader-fan of the CoffeeCrew blog... with me for almost 20 years if not more! Hey Oh Jeanie Marie!
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Winter all food, fun and drink marathon begins - muffins updated · Tuesday October 14, 2025 by colin newell
I make my own muffins. Partially because I like to know what I am eating – and I have a hard time paying $2 for a muffin that contains stuff that I am not interested in… or may be allergic to. Lately I have been using Goat’s milk or Almond milk or a blend of the two.
Here is my recipe for Colin`s Kitchen Sink Muffins – they are healthy, rich in nutrients, low in fat, not quite vegan and if you are looking for daily regularity, they are as predictable as sunrise and reliable as gravity. Enjoy.
Dry Mix
2 Cups Whole Wheat flour and 2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Each; rolled oats, corn meal and (oat or wheat) bran (total=3 cups of grain)
1.5 Cups dark brown sugar (can be reduced to taste)
1 Tbsp Baking Soda and 1 Tbsp Magic Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
2 Tsp Organic Saigon Cinnamon
(Optional extra spices); 1.5 Tsp Allspice, 1.5 Tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Wet Mix
3/4 Cup unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2 Cups Buttermilk OR 2 Cups Lactose-reduced 2% Milk OR 2 Cups Soy milk OR 2 Cups Almond milk OR 2 Cups Goat’s milk
Add Wet to Dry Mix – Do not over-mix.
Add from 2 to 4 cups of the fruit of your choice – I use finely chopped mango, or apple, or fresh figs, or anything in the way of frozen fruit medleys – the sky is the limit.
Put equal amounts in pre-greased or pre-Pammed pans – I use a pro-Ice Cream scoop for quantity management.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven – (or 22 minutes in a convection oven…) check for degree of done with a toothpick. Poke the muffins. If the picks come out clean, you are good to go. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then air dry on cooling grid. Makes about 22 freezer ready muffins.The Coffee.bc.ca blog has been on the air for over 30 years! Edited and created by Colin Newell – long time Victoria B.C. resident and food/coffee/culture writer…
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As we approach September, some ideas... · Saturday August 23, 2025 by colin newell
For those just joining us… hello. For those here for the first time or dropping in after a long time… Hola! Good day.
Looking at the stats for this blog, I see a lot of visitors… but I don’t get a lot of feedback.
I’d love some feedback. I have some ideas I am cooking up for the Fall.
One is a radio show. Yep. A new medium… or is it an old medium?
Either way. Yea. And it will be paralleled with a podcast.
But what are we up to? That is going to be the subject of some up and coming posts.
Stay tuned.
If you are a regular here, please send me a note via this easy contact page.
